Immunisations
The South West Vaccination and Screening Team (VaST) are responsible for commissioning the national vaccination and immunisation services to achieve the standards set out under the section 7A agreement.
Following the recent Secretary of State reform announcement on ambitions for a new approach to vaccination, NHS England are developing an integrated vaccination and immunisation strategy that builds on the learning from COVID-19 and the foundations of other immunisation programmes. Working in partnership with all providers, local authorities, voluntary and community sector leaders and communities themselves, NHS England have designed a future model that will maximise uptake, reduce unwarranted variation and help people protect themselves and their families.
Immunisation Clinical Advice & Response Service (ICARS)
The aim of the South West Immunisation Clinical Advice Response Service (ICARS) is to provide public health guidance to clinicians administering all vaccines commissioned under Section 7a or Covid-19 programmes, and to respond to clinical incidents as they arise in these programmes. Please contact ICARS by email at england.swicars@nhs.net. More information can be found here.
Immunisation programmes
Childhood Immunisation Programmes
Childhood Immunisation Best practice guide (content to follow)
Hexavalent (6-in-1)
Hepatitis B
- (content to follow)
Men B
MMR
- Canto Timing Matters Video
- UK Measles and Rubella elimination strategy (MRES) 2019
- MMR: Use of combined vaccine instead of single vaccines
Urgent Measles Testing: Oral Fluid Kit testing instructions
- www.gov.uk/government/publications/measles-urgent-testing-forms-and-instructions
These instructions are also available to download, translated into the following languages: Arabic, Bengali, Brazilian Portuguese, French, Hindi, Pashto, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Yiddish, Yoruba - MMR for all: general leaflet – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Measles: protect yourself, protect others – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
PCV, Hib & Men C
- (content to follow)
Rotavirus
Useful Information
- Childhood vaccines: Parental attitudes survey 2022 findings
- A guide to immunisation at one year of age leaflet
- Routine immunisations at one year – video
- Pre-school immunisation (2-5 years old) guide and video
- Routine Immunisation video – for children aged 3 years plus – Health Publications
- Routine Imms from 0-5 videos aimed at parents and carers
- What to expect after vaccinations – Information about the common side effects of vaccinations that might occur in babies and young children up to 5 years of age.
Adult Vaccination Programmes
NHS England Adult immunisations toolkit
PCV-20
- Easy read pneumococcal guide
- Pneumococcal Vaccine Information on nhs.uk
- Pneumococcal vaccination for older adults & those in clinical risk group – guidance for health professionals
- The Green Book Pneumococcal Chapter
- NICE Guidance – Pneumococcal Immunisations
- Change of vaccine for the routine adult pneumococcal vaccination programme and individuals at increased clinical risk
- Pneumonia Infection info – nhs.uk
- e-lfh – Pneumococcal Module
- Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV): vaccine coverage estimates
- Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) – Prevenar 20 suspension for injection in pre-filled syringe
Shingles
- Shingles vaccination leaflets
- Easy read guide to the shingles vaccine
- Shingles vaccination: why you are being asked to wait leaflet
- Shingles vaccine information on nhs.uk
- Shingles vaccination checklist
- Shingles eligibility calculator
- Shingles vaccination: eligibility poster
- Shingles vaccination: guidance for healthcare practitioners
- The Green Book Shingles chapter
- Shingles infection information on nhs.uk
- e-lfh – Shingles Module
- Shingles immunisation programme: vaccination coverage reports
- Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) – Shingrix powder and suspension for suspension for injection, Herpes zoster vaccine
RSV
- RSV vaccine information on nhs.uk
- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) programme: information for healthcare professionals
- The Green Book Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) chapter
- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) Infection information on nhs.uk
- e-lfh RSV module
- RSV immunisation coverage for older adults and pregnant women
- Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) – Abrysvo powder and solvent for solution for injection
RSV – Older Adults
- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV): vaccination for older adults’ leaflets
- Your guide to the RSV vaccine for older adults
- DHSC Campaign resources for Older Adults RSV programme
RSV for pregnant women
- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV): maternal vaccination leaflets
- A guide to RSV vaccination for pregnant women
- Why is my baby being offered an RSV immunisation?
Pertussis in Pregnant Women (primary offer in maternity services)
- Whooping cough: vaccination in pregnancy programme resources
- Whooping cough vaccination in pregnancy – NHS
- Pertussis (whooping cough) vaccination programme for pregnant women: information for healthcare practitioners
- The Green Book Pertussis Chapter
- Whooping Cough (Pertussis) infection information on nhs.uk
- e-lfh Pertussis module
- Pertussis immunisation in pregnancy: vaccine coverage
- Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) – ADACEL suspension for injection in pre-filled syringe
HPV MSM (offered in sexual health only)
- Posters and leaflets supporting the programme
- Patient information on HPV vaccine & eligibility
- Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection information on nhs.uk
- HPV vaccination: guidance for healthcare practitioners
- Green Book Human papillomavirus (HPV) Chapter
- Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) – Gardasil 9 suspension for injection
MPOX (offered in sexual health only)
- Mpox (monkeypox) vaccination resources
- Mpox vaccine information on nhs.uk
- Mpox infection information on nhs.uk
- Vaccination against mpox: information for healthcare practitioners
- Green Book Smallpox and Mpox Chapter
- Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) – IMVANEX
4CMenB for gonorrhoea vaccination (offered in sexual health only)
- Meningococcal B (MenB) vaccination against gonorrhoea guide
- MenB vaccine for gonorrhoea information on nhs.uk
- Gonorrhoea infection information on nhs.uk
- 4CMenB vaccine for prevention of gonorrhoea: information for healthcare practitioners
- Green Book Gonorrhoea Chapter
- Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) – Bexsero Meningococcal Group B vaccine for injection in pre-filled syringe
School Aged Vaccination Programmes
HPV
- HPV vaccine overview – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
- HPV vaccine side effects – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
- HPV vaccine safety – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
- How is the HPV vaccine given? – NHS – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
- Who should have the HPV vaccine? – NHS – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
- HPV vaccination guidance for healthcare practitioners’ Comprehensive guidance on HPV vaccination programmes (v6)
- HPV universal vaccination: leaflet – A guide to the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme, which became universal in September 2019
Meningococcal ACWY & Td/IPV
- 3-in-1 teenage booster overview – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
- 3-in-1 teenage booster side effects – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
- 3-in-1 teenage booster FAQs – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
- MenACWY vaccine – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
- Immunisations for young people leaflet-Explains the HPV, Td/IPV and MenACWY vaccinations given to young people in school years 7 to 13
- Meningococcal ACWY vaccination programme Information for healthcare practitioners
Relevant Chapters from the Greenbook for the adolescent immunisations programme
- Meningococcal ACWY vaccination programme information for healthcare practitioners
- Diphtheria: the green book, chapter 15 – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Green Book HPV chapter 18a (publishing.service.gov.uk)
- Meningococcal: the green book, chapter 22 – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Polio: the green book, chapter 26 – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Tetanus: the green book, chapter 30 – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Relevant chapter from the Greenbook for the school-based influenza programme
SAI Pathways
- Devon School Aged Immunisation Pathways 2025 / 26
- Gloucestershire School Aged Immunisation Pathways 2025 / 26
- BNSSG School Aged Immunisation Pathways Document 2025 / 26
- BSW School Aged Immunisation Pathways Document 2025 / 26
- Cornwall School Aged Immunisation Pathways Document 2025 / 26
- Dorset School Aged Immunisation Pathways Document 2025 / 26
- Somerset School Aged Immunisation Pathways Document 2025 / 26
Vaccine Guidance
- The Green Book
- Complete routine immunisation schedule – Including translations into 32 languages
- NHS vaccinations and when to have them
- Vaccination of individuals with uncertain or incomplete immunisation status
- Vaccine incident guidance: Responding to errors in vaccine storage, handling, and administration
- Patient Group Direction (PGD’s)
- Vaccine Summary of Product Characteristics- electronic medicines
- Vaccine Knowledge Project (University of Oxford)
- Vaccine update
- Information for immunisation practitioners and other health professionals
- NICE (NG218) Vaccine uptake in the general population
- NHS “Why vaccination is safe” page, including video
- South West Vaccination & Screening Team – FutureNHS Collaboration Platform
- UKHSA Primary care immunisation webinar series 2023
Vaccine Confidence
Ardens Guidance
- Overarching article
- Child imms recall and uptake searches
- Weekly child imms report
- CQRS searches
- QOF Vaccs and imms
- Childhood immunisations webinar
CHIS IIUT (Improving Immunisation Uptake Team)
CQRS (Calculating Quality Reporting Service)
GP Contract
QOF
Business Rules Guidance
Cold chain guidance
Promotional Resources
- Immunisations: resources for nurseries and schools – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Measles: Don’t let your child catch it – poster – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Vaccine communications toolkit for universities and other higher education settings (khub.net)
- Vaccine communications toolkit for universities and other higher education settings (khub.net)
- Publications – Health Publications
- Think measles: patient leaflet for young people- leaflet explaining the measles mumps rubella (MMR) vaccine to young people who may have missed their routine MMR vaccinations
- Promotional material-Think measles: poster about measles in young people
- Measles Protect yourself, protect others leaflet-information about measles, and the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine
- Promotional materials-Measles outbreak resources (various languages)
- Measles : Don’t let your child catch it poster-Schools version
- Measles information posters
- Canto: How the Measles vaccine works poster A4
- Measles and MMR social media banners | Powered by Box
- Festival banners for MMR
- MMR for all leaflet available to order in English, Bengali, Polish, Romanian, Somali, Ukrainian and Yoruba
- Short videos promoting childhood immunisation and MMR catch-ups
- Immunisations: Promotional resources for GP practices, nursery settings, primary and secondary schools
- Campaign Resource Centre – This is the digital platform for government health improvement campaigns and resources, for you to use in your work to improve health outcomes in your area.
Data Sources
- Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine coverage estimates in England: 2021 to 2022 – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Meningococcal ACWY immunisation programme: vaccine coverage estimates – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- School leaver booster (Td/IPV): vaccine coverage estimates – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Cover of vaccination evaluated rapidly (COVER) programme 2022 to 2023: quarterly data – UK quarterly data and commentary on coverage achieved by the UK childhood immunisation programme.
- Cover of vaccination evaluated rapidly (COVER) programme: annual data -England annual data on coverage achieved by the childhood immunisation programme
Outbreak Management Guidance
If you require further advice, please use the contact details below.
UKHSA South West Centre Health Protection Team
2 Rivergate
Temple Quay
Bristol
BS1 6EH
Phone: 0300 303 8162 option 1 then option 2
Out of hours for health professionals only: please phone 0300 303 8162 option 2
UKHSA South West Centre Health Protection Team
Follaton House
Plymouth Road
Totnes
TQ9 5NE
Phone: 0300 303 8162 option 1 then option 1
Out of hours for health professionals only: 0300 303 8162 (option 1)